It is the most easterly of the Windward Islands and was unsettled until the British arrived in 1627

Continent

North America

Capital

Bridgetown

Population

284,644 – a blend of West African and British cultures

Barbados is 21 miles long and 14 miles wide

It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world

Language

English – many speak the local Bajan dialect

Religion

There are over 100 known religions found in Barbados and their constitution allows for freedom of religion. 95% of the population is considered to be Christian.

It has one of the oldest synagogues in the western hemisphere.

Terrain

The pleasant tropical climate and the beaches make Barbados a tourist attraction and a cruise ship stop

Harrison’s Cave is a crystallized limestone cavern

Crane Beach is noted for its pink coral sand and clear waters

Sports

Cricket is the national sport. Scuba diving, surfing, netball and golf are also popular.

Animals

The green monkey is a wild animal, and a tourist attraction.

Hawksbill, leatherback and green turtles are around the beaches, and they are a protected species. Fines and jail time are given top those caught disturbing their nests or eggs.

Facts of Interest

Barbados became independent on November 30, 1966.

Barbadians are provided free education by the government through the collegiate level so people there enjoy a high rate of literacy.

It is illegal to wear camouflage clothing on the island.

Do not touch the Manchineel fruit or sit under that tree as sap is toxic – sap was used on the poison spears of the natives

Do not sit under a ripe coconut tree – a coconut weighs 4 pounds and falls from trees that are 100 feet high. Many people are killed every year by falling coconuts.

Their fertility clinic is world renowned and their elderly are given unrestricted healthcare.

Music and dance play a major part in their culture – reggae, steel bands, jazz, Calypso and Tuk – an infusion of British military and African rhythms.

Concerns

The economy was once based on sugar, but now offshore finance and tourism are sources of their economic growth.

Biting mosquitoes can infect you with dengue fever or chikungunya – a growing issue.

Mission

The first full-time missionaries arrived in 1779 and were quite successful. However, their success attracted opposition in the media, so the government started to require missionaries to obtain expensive work permits. These and other restrictions forced many to leave the island.

Sources

cia.gov/library, pcusa, Crockett, David R. “Church History in the Barbados”, www.barbados.gov.bb/education